Spike



"(No Model.) J. B'rBARNES;

SPIKE. 7 No. 250,187. Patented Nov. 29,1881.

dgibzessesf I v /I A/IQMQ$@M' UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOSHUA B. BARNES, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,187, dated November 29, 1881, Application filed April 18, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSHUA B. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residin g at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Spikes; and I i do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as wil1-enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates toimprovements in railroad-spikes; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a spike of such width or with such an amount of bearing-surface upon the material into which it is driven as to prevent the lateral movements of the engine and train, when running upon the track, from forcing the spikes outward or away from the rails, and at the same time provide for giving to the widened portion sufiicient strength to prevent it from being bent by the lateral action of the rolling-stock and,second, to provide a novel construction of that part of the spike to which the claw-bar is applied for withdrawing the same from the cross-tie or other timber in which it may be placed. I accomplish these objects by constructing spikes substantially in the form shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is a perspective view, showing the head adapted for reaching over and resting upon the rail and the projecting lips formed thereon for the reception of the claws of the withdrawing-bar, the widened surface for bearing against the wood and preventing its movement laterally therein, astrengthening-rib upon the outer surface of the widened portion to prevent such portion from being bent, and. for supporting and strengthening the head, and also the method of beveling the lower portion of the spike for the purpose of facilitating its entrance into the substance into which it is to be driven. Fig. II is an elevation, showing the outer or rear side of the spike, its head, the strengthening-rib, its widened portion, and its beveled point; and Fig. III is a side elevation, showing the parts above enumerated and how the strengthening-rib is made to support the outer portion of the head.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Heretofore railroad-spikes have usually been made of square or round iron, and have had their heads formed mainly or wholly upon one side of their bodies, they being beveled upon this part, such construction affording no adequate means for the application of the clawbar for withdrawing them from the ties, or of preventing them from being bent outward or away from the rails by the lateral action of the rolling-stock thereon.

I am aware that it is not novel, broadly, to providea strengthening-rib upon theouter surface of a spike, such a device being shown in a patent granted to Theodore R. Timby, December 21,1875, and numbered 171,447. I do not therefore claim, broadly, a strengtheningrib upon a spike for railroads or for other purposes.

I am also aware that a patent was granted to Howard Greer on the 28th of December, 1880, No. 236,020, which shows, and in which is claimed, a spike having strengthening-ribs on both its outer and inner surfaces. This I do not claim.

In constructing spikes with my improvements embodied therein, I provide for the body A a part the width of which is greater than its thickness, its width being five (more or less) times greater than its thickness. The portion A may be of any required length, and has its lower end beveled upon the sides composing its greatest width.

Upon the outer side of the portion A there is formed a strengtheningrib, B, which is of such width and thickness as to prevent the body A from being bent outward in use, and is extended downward to such an extent as to cause the bevel formed upon its outer edge, when of the same degree of angularity as are those formed on the part A, to form a continuation of said angle upon that side of the spike upon which the rib is placed, thus giving to the spike the required amount of strength throughout its entire length with the leastpossible amount of metal.

Upon the upper ends of the partsAandB the head 0 is formed, it being substantially of the form shown in the drawings, whereby it is provided with a projecting portion, 0, for resting upon the rail, and also with laterally-projectin g lips G and Gflwhich are beveled or rounded upon their under surfaces, for the purpose of adapting them to the reception of the claws of the bar used for withdrawing them from the substanceinto which they may be driven. The outer portion of the head 0 extends to the outer edge of the strengthening-rib B, and thus prevents the lipsfrom having their form changed by the driving of the spike.

M yimproved spike difl'ers from that of Timby, above alluded to, and from all others with which I am acquainted, in that it provides a largely-increased surface to rest against the substance into which it is driven, for the purpose of preventing it from being forced away from the rails of the track by the passing over them of the rolling-stock; second, in the fact that adequate means are provided for the withdrawal of the spike by the formation of lips on the outer portions of its head; and, lastly, in that its body A is located near the center of its head, and is united therewith, and with 25 a strengthening-rib on its outer surface, as a consequence of which the liabilityof breaking the head by drawing the spike is obviated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

A railroad-spike consisting of a flat bar of metal, A, of the requisite length and width, said bar being strengthened by the application to its outer surface only of the projecting portion B, and having upon its upper end a head, 0, which is formed upon both the bar A and portion B in such a manner as to leave upon each side of the strengthening portion B projecting lips (J 0 under which to place the claws of a withdrawing-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSHUA B. BARNES.

Witnesses:

ASBURY DUGLEY, JEREMIAH ERVIN. 

